Serious Trouble
by chibijem
Summary: Everyone learns the reason behind Tomomasa's aversion to doctors...


Serious Trouble

By

Chibijem

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Disclaimer: I do not own the characters herein and am making no financial gain from this work of fiction.

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Fujiwara no Takamichi looked out of the corner of his golden eyes at his Byakko partner; throughout the evening he discerned the deteriorating condition of Tachibana no Tomomasa. They were currently enjoying a sumptuous meal with the rest of the Hachiyo at Fuji-hime's with the Ryuujin no Miko. The vice minister leaned over and asked if the eldest of them was feeling well. Tomomasa just nodded and kept his attention to the story Inori was telling. Takamichi sat back with a sigh; he thought back to earlier in the day.

" _Tomomasa-dono? We are going to be late." The young court official warned. It was not like the general to keep him waiting. Tomomasa has been acting rather strangely, he thought as he paced the walkway outside the bathhouse on the Tachibana estate._

" _Hai, gomen ne, Takamichi. My meetings ran long," the chokushi replied from within the building._

 _The younger of the Byakko twosome heard a crash and then a curse, "Tomomasa, daijoubu desu ka?" When he heard nothing else, he placed his hand against the shoji and called out a warning. "I am coming in."_

" _Iie," Tomomasa called out too late. When the door opened he turned away in an effort to hide._

" _Tomomasa!" Takamichi swiftly moved to his friend's side and gently touched the angry wound on the general's torso. "When did this happen?" He raised concern filled eyes to see the wince cross Tomomasa's striking face._

" _A few days ago," the army officer admitted as his companion led him to a stool._

" _And you have not had it examined?" Takamichi dipped a cloth into a bucket of steaming water and carefully cleansed the blood away. "Of course you haven't. You never do," he sighed. "I think it may be going bad. You should see the healer." He looked up into teal eyes._

 _Tomomasa raised a strong hand and cupped his partner's cheek, "You just said we were going to be late and you want to make us more late?" He teased then shook his head. "Just put some of that medicine on it and wrap me up." He nodded to the table where he had laid out the supplies._

 _The vice minister let out a breath and coated a cloth with the medicinal concoction, "I still think you should see the physician first." He argued. "Your health is much more important than being prompt for an engagement."_

" _Nonsense," Tomomasa countered._

Now studying the elder Byakko Hachiyo, Takamichi wished he had been more assertive in his argument. He then heard Tomomasa take a deep breath and saw the light sheen of sweat covering the general's handsome face. "Tomomasa?" he asked softly.

"Heki desu," the reassurance was accompanied by a tight smile.

"Honto desu ka?"

"Hai."

The response did not allay the vice minister's worry nor did Tomomasa himself when he toppled over into his friend's lap. "Tomomasa-dono?!" Takamichi laid a hand across the general's fevered brow; he lifted anxiety filled eyes to those crowded around the twosome. "He needs a healer. He was injured….I tried…."

"Takamichi-san, we all know Tomomasa-san's aversion to visiting the doctor." Akane assured him. She turned to Inori, "Can you go…."

"I am already there." He smiled as he ran off.

Akane looked to her benefactor; Fuji-hime smiled and went off to have rooms prepared for the Byakko Hachiyo partners. "Should we move him or wait?" Her green eyes showed worry in their depths. In all the time she had known her eldest protector, Tomomasa had never let an injury go so long without treatment, even if he had to be dragged to see the old physician.

"How bad is the wound, Takamichi?" Tenma asked, kneeling next to the green haired teen.

"It looked like it was going bad. I urged him to see the healer before we came here, but he said no and had me coat it with some medicine and wrap him." He shook his head, "I should have insisted he go."

"He is a stubborn man." Yasuaki said.

It was short minutes later when Inori returned carrying the aged court physician on his back. He set the man on his feet and placing his hands on his knees, caught his breath, "Gomen ne, minna."

"You were quick, there is nothing to apologize for." Yorihisa replied.

"I carried him," he motioned to the doctor who was now undressing Tomomasa with the vice minister's assistance. "I did not want to waste any time."

"Arigatou, Inori-san." Takamichi looked up with a gentle smile.

Everyone looked to the old man who was making tsking sounds and shaking his head. He ordered hot water and opened his case. Takamichi kept his hold on his friend as the examination continued. He made a face when the wound was uncovered and the putrid smell filled his nostrils. "Sensei?"

"He let it go too long." He accepted the bowl of steaming liquid and ladling some out into a smaller vessel, began mixing some medicine. He made another mixture, handed it to the younger Byakko possessor and instructed him to give it to the unconscious Tomomasa. Meeting golden eyes, the healer smiled, "He will be fine." He laid a kind hand on the young court official's arm.

"I should have forced him to go to you."

"Iie, I had not returned to Kyou until today. My daughter gave birth to a son and I was with my family, visiting, to the south."

"That's probably why he refused to go," Shimon stated.

"Most likely," the elder replied. "He has an intense aversion to seeing any medical personnel." He informed the group as he cleansed away the medicine Takamichi had applied earlier along with the blood and other fluid oozing from the wound.

"Why is that?" Akane asked, handing him another cloth.

"It stems from an incident during his childhood." He started as he coated a cloth with some of the medicinal paste. "He was hurt during a practice session with his father and one of my trainees took it upon himself to treat the young Tomomasa-sama. But he ended up doing more harm; the injury worsened and this young man became very, very ill. It was deemed a miracle that he survived at all." When the physician looked up, he saw the general attempting to swat away Takamichi's hand that held the oral medication. "Iie, Tomomasa, you must drink this." The healer said softly, tracing the angles of the teal haired man's face. He looked up to the others, "I think it would be best to administer something to help him sleep; I need to stitch up the wound and it will be quite painful." He told the other Hachiyo.

"He will fight that." Takamichi said. "He is already fighting me when I try to get him to drink this." He indicated the liquid in the cup he was holding.

"Hai, I know." The elderly healer turned back to the others. "May I ask for some assistance?"

The others nodded and he instructed them to gather around their wounded colleague and to be ready to hold him should it be necessary. He then took another cloth and poured another fluid from his case on it and handed it to Takamichi telling the vice minister not to inhale it, as well instructions for administering it.

Takamichi leaned down to his partner, "Gomen ne, Tomomasa," he whispered into an earring clad ear as he laid the cloth over Tomomasa's nose and mouth. Instantaneously, Tomomasa began to struggle and fight, his teal eyes opening. Yorihisa and Tenma each took one of his legs and Yasuaki and Inori, an arm. Akane attempted to calm her eldest guardian as he continued to struggle even as the strength left his body. Takamichi saw the accusation in his companion's eyes as they closed and Tomomasa lost awareness once more. "Gomen ne, gomen nasai." A single tear slipping down his cheek.

After the healer completed his treatment of Tomomasa's injury and they settled him into a futon, they all gathered in a common room. "Sensei? You never finished your story about Tomomasa-san." Akane said, sitting next to Yorihisa.

"Ah, sumanai. When I examined him when he worsened, I saw the poor treatment he had received. My apprentice was expelled from the medical program. He had failed to properly clean the wound and only haphazardly wrapped it. It became severely infected and was extremely painful." He sipped at his tea. "Tomomasa-sama's father cornered the apprentice and almost did bodily harm. Your father," he spoke to Eisen. "Your father stopped him from killing the young man. When he saw the condition of Tachibana's son, he wanted to hurt the man as well. That's when they came to me; it could have gone either way, Tomomasa-sama's state was so poor. His recovery was long and painful. That is where his distrust originates."

"Poor Tomomasa-san," Akane said mournfully. "That would explain it."

"Hai, his recovery was a long and painful one, for all involved." The healer agreed, sipping his tea.

Early the following morning, before the sun rose, Takamichi was awoken by Tomomasa moving about in the futon. The young Byakko possessor sat up, green hair trailing down his back; he reached a gentle hand out and laid it against his companion's face. "Tomomasa," he called out softly. He saw Tomomasa's brows draw together, "Tomomasa, you need to stay still."

"Hahaue?"

"Iie, it is I: Takamichi." He knew his friend often dreamt of his mother.

"Where is hahaue?" Tomomasa opened his eyes and realized where he was. "Ah, gomen ne, Takamichi." He lifted a strong hand and covered his eyes.

"Daijoubu desu ka?"

"Hai," the reply was drawn out as the eldest Hachiyo attempted to get his thoughts into some semblance of order. "What happened?"

"You collapsed last night during the evening meal. The physician came and treated your wounds; he told us you let yourself go too long." Takamichi told his partner as he poured water into a cup and held it to Tomomasa's lips. "Your wounds are very serious."

Tomomasa licked his parched lips, "I tried seeking out the healer, but he was not available."

"Sensei is not the only healer in Kyou capable of treating you." The vice minister argued. He saw those magnificent teal eyes shift away. He cupped the general's strong chin and brought that striking face back to his gaze. "He told us why you are so reluctant to see doctors."

"I see…." Tomomasa sighed.

"There is nothing to be afraid about. You cannot let one bad experience color your view."

"Takamichi," Tomomasa glowered at his friend. "I almost died when I was a boy from that incompetent healer's treatment. I think I have every right to be wary."

"I am not arguing that, but you are a grown man. You send your wounded soldiers to them, so why not yourself?"

"I…I cannot explain it. Every time I try and visit any one of them, I freeze, my feet will not obey me. I know I needed treatment but….." The words came pouring out of him.

Golden eyes widened at the state Tomomasa was getting into, "It is all right." Takamichi's mind was spinning; he never would have thought Tomomasa afraid of anything but what his partner was describing was a genuine fear, one the elder Byakko holder could not control. "It is all right," he repeated in an effort to calm his companion. "We are in this together." He pulled Tomomasa close and ran his fingers through the long, teal locks as the elder man rested his head against Takamichi's chest. _I will help you through your fear,_ Takamichi thought as he laid his own head against the general's.

FIN


End file.
